Looking for advice... First SE Asia trip, where to start???

[noj3333]

I’m starting to look into a trip to SE Asia, but I’m at a loss about where to start. Hopefully some of the experienced travelers can point me in the right direction.

What I’m looking for…

-Relatively easily travel destination from America.

-Relatively cheap. I can spend a fair amount of money (maybe $6,000+/-, not counting airfare), but I’d like to spread that money over a 2-4 week trip. That budget would be for a solo traveler.

-Accommodations, I don’t require anything special… just a clean bed. Same with food, nothing special needed.

-Diving… I like a healthy reef, with good life, small fish, big marine life, it’s all the same to me, just overall healthy. With the diving, I’d like really good sites within reach of shore operators, but I may add a liveaboard trip on as well.

-Night life, other activities besides diving… NOT needed.

Feel free to list out some good destinations for me to start my search with…

Thanks for the advice and guidance!

 

[lexvil]

Thailand! When? I know a guy.

 

[noj3333]

Spring, or Fall 2020... Already have trips booked for November 2019 and January 2020...

 

[lexvil]

SEA can get pretty hot after, we’ll the beginning of time but especially after mid April. A friend is moving back to Thailand this fall if this sounds like a place for you to go I’ll email his contact info.

Let me add, for 6k I can get pretty close to 3 LoB trips in Thailand.

 

[TerryC]

Evolution diving, Malapascua. Phillipines.
Should fit your plans and your budget.
You could split with Malboal if you don't mind travelling.
Fly via Hong Kong or Singapore

 

[noj3333]

SEA can get pretty hot after, we’ll the beginning of time but especially after mid April. A friend is moving back to Thailand this fall if this sounds like a place for you to go I’ll email his contact info.

Let me add, for 6k I can get pretty close to 3 LoB trips in Thailand.

Any specific city to start looking at?

 

[lexvil]

Any specific city to start looking at?

Phuket is a good place to start, many day boats out of there, my buddy usually makes the arrangements so I haven’t a lot of specifics to offer but like I said I know a guy.

 

[Tippytoes12]

Indonesia and the Philippines are way better than Thailand. For two to four weeks do one or two countries only.

For the Philippines look at the Visayas ( Malapascua / Bohol / Negros ) or Southern Leyte or Anilao or Puerto Galera.

Diving in Indonesia is better again , do Komodo or Raja Ampat on a liveaboard plus Lembeh or Bali or Ambon. Personally I would spend the whole time in Indonesia.

Your budget is very generous , could you take some time off work unpaid and spend longer in Asia ?

 

[noj3333]

Your budget is very generous , could you take some time off work unpaid and spend longer in Asia ?

Work is not an issue, I could get extended times off work without issues. Family responsibilities would be the limiting factor... maybe 5 weeks at most.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Indonesia diving is better than Philippines diving which is better than Thailand diving. Liveaboard pricing is in the reverse - Thailand is cheapest, followed by Philippines, with Indonesia being the most expensive on average. Land based diving, Philippines is also cheapest. Food is best in Thailand, followed by Indonesia and Philippines trailing last for me .

If you go in Spring of 2020, liveaboard season is in full swing at Tubbataha in the Philippines. You can catch the end of Raja Ampat season or beginning of Komodo season in Indonesia. You can also do Similan Islands in Thailand.

If you go in the fall or closer to August or Sept you can still catch the end of Komodo and maybe some mola mola in Bali.

It’s easier to travel around Manila/Puerto Princesa (where Tubbataha goes out of) and Coron (WWII wrecks) than it is in the Visayas from a time perspective. Lots of land transfers and ferries in the Visayas for the Philippines. Puerto Galera out of Manila (land) and Tubbataha out of Puerto Princesa (liveaboard) then some wrecks in Coron (land) would be a great sampler. You can get whale sharks and lots of sharks in Tubbataha.

If budget is not an issue and you just want to see the best (in my opinion) I suggest some time in Komodo or Raja Ampat both of which are best done by liveaboard, followed by some time in Bali (land) and if you do like macro, you can also go to Lembeh (land - fall is great there). You can do a lot in 4 weeks in indonesia as travel is relatively easy there compared to the Philippines in my experience.

Have fun! It’s my favorite place to dive and I head out there 2X a year for a month at a time.